Community Economic Development Archives - Centralina Regional Council

The Importance of Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning

MaeLynn — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 14:30:46 +0000

In April 2021, the Centralina Economic Development District and Centralina Regional Council, in collaboration with nine county emergency management (EM) directors, launched the Regional Resilience Collaborative (RRC) to enhance the region’s disaster recovery and economic resilience. The RRC aimed for greater efficiency in responding to both natural and man-made disasters and economic challenges. The strategic conversations with EM leaders, coupled with research on the regional landscape, and an extensive review of existing emergency plans identified a significant gap in recovery plans and processes. Centralina assisted all nine counties with overcoming gaps in community recovery planning needs and bolstering the knowledge, administrative protocols and relationships required between EM and local government leaders. Specifically, Centralina Regional Council allocated resources to develop Anson County’s Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan, a resiliency planning document that assigns roles and responsibilities during a disaster.

A Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan (PDRP) is a functional document that informs how local government units will organize their recovery efforts, who will lead various aspects of recovery and the responsibilities of those involved. A PDRP serves as a framework for recovery operations that acknowledges that recovery strategies are dependent upon the unique needs of each disaster. Each PDRP contains annexes or appendices that address specific focus or functional areas. These areas are critical for holistic community recovery and are based on FEMA’s Community Lifelines. There are six recovery committee annexes:

Community Planning and Development
Economic Recovery
Health and Social Services
Housing
Infrastructure
Natural and Cultural Resources

Over the last fiscal year, Centralina Regional Council supported Anson County in hosting eight total meetings: one to kick off the project, a meeting with each of the six recovery annex committees and a closeout meeting. In May, Anson County representatives officially signed the PDRP into action. In doing so, Anson County established the relationships needed to support recovery efforts, defined roles and responsibilities of recovery partners, supported all levels of government to coordinate recovery operations, facilitated public-private partnerships in support of recovery efforts and will reduce the amount of time needed for the community to recover.

The Centralina region is susceptible to a wide range of natural and man-made hazards with cascading impacts across the globe. The region supports many economic industries across the United States and is growing at a rapid rate. Due to these factors, we must ensure planning efforts support consideration of what happens after a disaster. PDRPs are crucial for enhancing recovery efforts by assessing current and future economic recovery needs in the region. Effective long-term disaster recovery requires local governments to integrate recovery management protocols into their routine operations, especially within finance departments, to ensure that incurred response and recovery costs comply with federal and state reimbursement requirements. Emergency management departments in small towns and rural areas often lack the capacity to fully prepare their communities for resilience against future disasters. The development of disaster plans, such as a PDRP, is a critical first step in building recovery capacity through collaboration and communication throughout local governments.

The RRC exemplifies a scalable and replicable model, demonstrating how councils of governments can serve as vital and trusted partners in economic recovery and resilience efforts. More information about the RRC is available here. Our Regional Resilience & Recovery webpage contains many free helpful resources such as materials from all eight RRC workshops, a Resilience and Equity Hazards Assessment GIS Tool, a Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan Template and Development Guide and a Local Leader Disaster Recovery Coordination Guide. Though the RRC ended in June, Centralina Regional Council looks forward to continuing to support our region’s recovery and resiliency efforts! Stay tuned for our upcoming projects in the new fiscal year.

The post The Importance of Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

The Annual State of the Regional Resilience Collaborative Luncheon

MaeLynn — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 17:12:28 +0000

Acknowledging the critical role regionalism plays in bolstering local resilience and recovery, Centralina’s Regional Resilience Collaborative (RRC) aims to connect leaders and partners in the region to unite on innovative solutions. In June, Centralina, Innovative Emergency Management, North Carolina Emergency Management and our Emergency Management leaders across the region came together for the Annual State of the Regional Resilience Collaborative Luncheon. The luncheon, hosted by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management at their Emergency Operations Center, served as a collaborative opportunity to solve local emergency management issues. The group discussed many topics such as:

Radar gaps and the benefits of public-private partnerships;

The State’s Digital Inclusion initiative, Centralina’s regional approach to connect all residents in the region to the internet to bolster economic vitality and the awareness of public safety alerts and preparedness;

Strategies for bolstering county staff with a local recovery manager for economic resilience;

The Regional Resilience Roadmap score metric and increase as a result of a peer-sharing Emergency Management (EM) project that builds a bridge between EM and local government staff and officials; and

How to utilize the Resilience and Equity Hazards Assessment Tool (REHAT), a GIS mapping tool that is free to the public and can be applied as a resource in both pre- and post-disaster planning strategies. The REHAT maps out all disaster-related resources across our nine-county region to effectively prepare for and respond to a disaster. Click here and enter your email address to access the tool and learn more about the public safety and disaster risks surrounding you and your community.

Centralina would like to extend a huge ‘THANK YOU!’ to Wike Graham and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management team for hosting the Annual RRC Luncheon! For more information about the Regional Resilience Collaborative project, please visit the RRC webpage, which includes disaster recovery resources and disaster plan templates.

The post The Annual State of the Regional Resilience Collaborative Luncheon appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

The Role of Regionalism in Affordable Housing

MaeLynn — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 20:36:37 +0000

As the gap between housing construction and demand continues to widen across the United States, many local communities are faced with housing shortages. In turn, homeowners and renters alike are experiencing significant affordability challenges. The affordable housing crisis impacts everyone by perpetuating inequities, diminishing quality of life of residents and threatening the economy by limiting equal opportunity access. Local officials are motivated to address these shortages to halt these negative outcomes in their communities.

Centralina’s Board of Delegates Meeting to Address Affordable Housing

On May 8th, 2024, the Board of Delegates participated in a housing symposium at Centralina offices. Led by the Community Economic Development Department, the group discussed affordable housing challenges and solutions across the region. It was made evident that challenges and opportunities differ across landscapes depending on land availability, population density and other unique factors. Delegates ranked their top three priorities for supporting affordable housing needs in their communities. The following shows how the priorities were ranked among the group:

Priority	Priority Item
1	Foster partnerships that enhance grant opportunities and technical assistance
2	Create opportunities to develop strategies and implementation plans
3	Participate in educational housing related learning opportunities
4	Support grant research, writing and administration
5	Enhance local limited resources with capacity building

National Context

To give a national context to our regional discussion, the following data points were found through the National League of Cities’ Housing Supply Pulse Survey that was distributed to local leaders across the United States between January and February of 2023:

In the Southern region of the U.S., ‘poor housing quality’ was named as the top housing supply challenge and ‘construction obstacles such as a lack of developers’ was named as the top housing supply hurdle to overcome;
Local leaders surveyed believe that they are primarily responsible for land use and zoning solutions to alleviate housing shortages;
State and federal governments were named as the number one funding source for local housing supply; and
When asked what type of support local officials desire from state and federal governments, the following were the top three:
1. Direct grants awarded to local governments;
2. Technical assistance funding to examine and modernize local policies and practices; and
3. Improved access to credit for small developers.

Source: National League of Cities, Housing Supply is a High Priority for Local Governments (August 2023)

Local Context: The Centralina Region

Fifty percent of delegates in attendance indicated that their community experiences challenges in addressing affordable housing strategies and solutions. Acknowledging the supply gap and recognizing the limitations local governments have in solving the crisis on their own, the group discussed locally driven solutions that meet unique community needs.

Housing preservation is a priority across the Centralina region. As the population ages, utilizing initiatives such critical home repair programs bolster the preservation of homes and further supports aging in place. Code enforcement and re-evaluation were named as tools used by communities in our region to rehabilitate and preserve eligible homes. Funding sources such as the Community Development Block Grant, the HOME program and the Emergency Solutions Grant are utilized widely across the region to fund preservation initiatives for existing homes.

Innovative housing solutions have taken form in many ways, including examining land use and regulations through a lens that bolsters construction and development of housing that meets individual community needs. Many municipalities in our region are considering purchasing land to enhance new affordable housing production. Community Land Trusts are another strategy being implemented in the region. However, education surrounding new affordable homeownership units is needed.

Challenges local communities face also vary significantly across urban, rural and suburban landscapes. It would be a disservice to our local communities to not consider the differences in obstacles faced across our region.

Urban Opportunities

Urban, or more densely populated areas, are overcoming barriers related to high land prices and construction costs. It is incredibly difficult for urban local governments to make investments in affordable housing without substantial financial support or incentives, either from federal or state grant funds or from public-private partnerships. Additionally, urban land is limited, and zoning and land-use regulations often pose significant challenges to our local units in North Carolina. Rethinking zoning and tax-based incentives can further bolster urban affordable housing initiatives. Moreover, private-public partnerships are essential in generating enough revenue for urban units to purchase land and create high-density affordable housing that maximizes the use of urban land. Collaboration between government units and non-profit organizations is another way to leverage partnerships for affordable housing initiatives and solutions. Non-profits, such as Habitat for Humanity and United Way, are available to provide construction services and funding to local units for eligible affordable housing projects. Additionally, our delegates discussed how Community Land Trusts are a great way to increase wealth through ownership and produce more affordable housing units.

Rural Solutions

While rural communities are not facing challenges such as limited and high costs of land, they are experiencing different obstacles. Infrastructure limitations, such as lack of public transit, roads and utilities, pose threats as they increase upfront construction costs and deter private investors and developers. Limited connectivity is an issue that threatens the development of affordable housing in rural communities. However, connecting with rural community members to determine the most connected and least affordable locations in the community can point local officials in the right direction as to where affordable housing should be developed to meet the needs of the community and support the existing economy.

Suburban Strategies

Due to high density and housing costs in urban areas, many people are forced to relocate to suburban communities outside of city limits. The Centralina region contains many suburban communities outside of the Charlotte-metro area. Dispersed, single-family homes threaten housing affordability and perpetuate social inequities that segregate lower income owners. Sustainable strategies and solutions to increase housing affordability in suburban areas include communication and collaboration both with the private sector and non-government organizations, but also with other communities in their region to expand upon mobility and connectivity, public transportation options, mixed-use developments and preservation of existing affordable housing.

On the Horizon

Increasing the supply of affordable housing supports a strong workforce and economy and enhances overall quality of life. Housing issues are complex and unique; therefore, solutions and strategies must also be unique and intentional. It is evident that collaboration, both within local governments, but also across sectors and with non-profit organizations, is critical for this work. For more information and resources relating to affordable housing strategies, visit our member portal.

The post The Role of Regionalism in Affordable Housing appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

Bridging the Digital Divide

CentralinaRC — Tue, 21 May 2024 19:07:50 +0000

In today’s world, 92% of jobs require digital literacy skills. Unfortunately, in North Carolina, many lack internet access or cannot afford the required subscription or equipment. Many also lack digital literacy skills and are unable to benefit from services like telehealth, online educational courses or online job boards. Creating digital access is an essential first step in tackling digital barriers to support economic mobility and prosperity for all. Digital skills result in greater access to employment and higher wages, which leads to greater economic vitality for our region. In addition to helping individuals with employment options, closing the digital skill divide improves economic mobility, community prosperity, public safety and hazard resilience conditions for residents and businesses.

Centralina Partners with NCDIT and NC State University

The state prioritizes digital inclusion for all, as evident through its digital inclusion initiative, being led by NC Department of Information and Technology (NCDIT). The goal of this initiative is to ensure that all communities, especially disadvantaged populations, can connect to and use the internet. Recognizing that a regional approach is critical to closing the digital divide, Centralina partnered with NCDIT and the Institute for Emerging Issues at NC State University to improve broadband access and equity in our region through a program called the Building a New Digital Economy in North Carolina or BAND-NC.

Developing Digital Inclusion Plans

The BAND-NC initiative helps county leaders and staff develop and implement digital inclusion plans that include implementation strategies to reduce and eliminate barriers to broadband access and technology use. The goal of these plans is to help identify community assets and implement strategies to increase access to the internet and bolster participation in the digital economy. Centralina is currently working in partnership with the counties in our region to support development and implementation of customized digital inclusion plans that reflect local conditions and needs. The Centralina Regional Digital Inclusion Plan will contain a regional section that covers objectives and goals, current conditions and statewide initiatives, in addition to chapters for each county’s specific plan.

As part of this initiative, Centralina has launched a Regional Digital Inclusion webpage, which will house these plans and additional regional, local and statewide digital assets and resources. If you’re interested in learning more about digital inclusion, please take a moment to review the curated resources on our Regional Digital Inclusion webpage and stay tuned as we launch the Centralina Regional Digital Inclusion Plan this fall.

The post Bridging the Digital Divide appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

Child Care and the North Carolina Economy

CentralinaRC — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:26:19 +0000

Child care is one of the biggest expenses families face, spending nearly $11,467 on infant care yearly in North Carolina. To put this into perspective, the annual cost of infant care is 56% greater than the annual cost to attend a four-year public university of North Carolina. Not only do families with young children encounter higher costs, but they also face them when they are in their earliest income-earning years. These obstacles create limitations on our workforce and in turn, negatively impact the economy. Impediments to quality and affordable child care will only be exacerbated once temporary relief from the U.S American Rescue Plan funds are depleted in June 2024.

A Discussion Begins

Recognizing this challenge confronting many families in our region, the Centralina Economic Development District (EDD) decided to host a moderated discussion between economic developers, child care providers and local government employees and officials to develop actionable solutions. Centralina EDD staff invited local government and economic development partners, as well as child care and social services providers across the region, to attend the in-person forum entitled The Role of Child Care on the North Carolina Economy in February of 2024. The event, supported by funding from the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) Local Development District Capacity Building Program, was designed to bolster the region by developing strategic actions and deliverables to support and expand the goals of the SCRC and Centralina’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy “Prosperity for All” 2023-2028 implementation goals.

The Experts

The panelists included Janet Singerman from Child Care Resources Inc., Aaron Merchen from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Keena Thomas, Novant Health, Director Child Care Services. The audience was represented by Smart Start and North Carolina Partnership for Children, Chambers of Commerce, economic developers and elected officials. The diverse expertise of the panel and the audience combined allowed for a robust discussion that included a wide array of best practices ranging from local public solutions to private business solutions.

Janet Singerman recognizes the importance of collaboration and commits to a continued conversation stating, “I welcomed this important opportunity to share information about the impact of child care on economic development, particularly in light of our region’s incredible growth, the importance of removing barriers to employment given the current and projected workforce shortage and the challenging economics of child care as our region’s programs face a post-pandemic funding cliff in June that will further weaken their already fragile economic viability.”

The Resources

The panel included an interactive discussion with the audience to develop a “call to action” document titled Child Care: Nurturing Growth (Strategic Recommendations for Economic Development and Local Government). The solutions and best practices discussed amongst the group were also incorporated into a tool kit. Some of the topics addressed include:

Examining local zoning and land use opportunities for child care facilities;
Considering child care needs in planning and development process;
Reducing regulations to help home-based child care providers grow;
Developing a how-to guide for child care entrepreneurs;
Promoting early childhood education career pathways;
Establishing a child care task force and strategic plan that addresses barriers; and
Engaging businesses in child care needs and awareness.

In Conclusion

Local officials and economic developers must acknowledge child care as an essential element of the economic infrastructure that fosters a prosperous region. The Child Care Road Map prepared by the US Chamber of Commerce assists employers support the child care needs of their employees. By integrating a culture of family support into their planning policies and practices, they can pave the way for a more robust economy. Moreover, it is essential for governments and community leaders to proactively identify and overcome obstacles that limit access to affordable child care services. Fostering collaborative conversation amongst local government units, childcare providers and economic developers is essential in determining solutions that prioritize the sustainability of our economy and overall quality of life. As we strive to advance economic growth, it is imperative not to underestimate the foundational role of childcare in shaping the future workforce and fostering community resilience. Together, through intentional collaboration and unwavering dedication, we can continue cultivate a brighter tomorrow for generations to come.

The post Child Care and the North Carolina Economy appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

Centralina EDD Observes Progress on EDA Tech Hub

CentralinaRC — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 15:02:39 +0000

In December 2022, the Centralina Economic Development District (EDD) released its five-year update for the U.S. Economic Development Agency (EDA) Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). Centralina EDD’s CEDS strategy is broken into three goals:

Expand Economic Opportunity (People)
Build Community Supportive Infrastructure (Place)
Strengthen Regional Resilience and Global Competitiveness (Economy)

Goal three of the strategy specifically defines actions related to innovation hubs. In October of 2023, UNC Charlotte was awarded a Strategy Development Grant from the EDA. The funding, provided as apart of a federal inaugural tech hubs initiative, will be put towards launching the Carolinas Innovation Center for Optics and Metrology (CICOM) Consortium. Centralina EDD was one of 25 other partners who collaborated with UNC Charlotte on the application. The CICOM consortium is being developed with three main objectives in mind;

Increase the awareness of the importance of optics and precision metrology in advanced manufacturing
Capitalize on the commercialization of opportunities created from research and development
Formulate a workforce training approach that will prepare future workers for jobs in the industry

As part of the EDA Tech Hub launch, UNC Charlotte recently hosted Centralina EDD’s Board Members on campus for a discussion on the importance of optics and metrology and a tour of the metrology lab. UNC Charlotte’s Center of Precision Metrology is located in Duke Centennial Hall and occupies roughly 30,000 square feet of research space, which includes a 3,000-square-foot air-controlled environment for metrology and instrument development. The group received presentations from university representatives Greg Needham, Executive Director of the Office of Research Partnerships, Dr. Edward Morse, Director of the Center for Precision Metrology, and Dr. Glenn Boreman, Director of the Department of Physics and Optical Science.

During the tour of the metrology lab, Dr. Morse showcased the advanced technology used and how it applies to advanced manufacturing. According to UNC Charlotte, “working with state-of-the-art dimensional tolerances on the order of 10 parts per million or better, precision metrology encompasses the methods of production and inspection in manufacturing, measurement algorithms and tolerance representation and the integration of metrology into factory quality systems”. The lab technology mimics a super-powered magnifying glass that allows you to see incredibly minuscule items and then use an ultra-sophisticated ruler for measurements. Such technology ensures that designs for jet engine components produced in one country, for example, will fit in the engine located in another country when it gets assembled.

The Centralina EDD team will continue to provide updates on grant program partnership as the project progresses. If you would like to learn more about the UNC Charlotte EDA Tech Hub project, contact Anna Lu Wilson at alwilson@centralina.org.

A more detailed update on the progress of the CEDs is included in a blog post on the Centralina EDD website.

Dr. Edward Morse showing the latest materials created in the metrology lab.

Machinery at UNC Charlotte’s Center for Precision Metrology Lab

The post Centralina EDD Observes Progress on EDA Tech Hub appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

Centralina’s Housing Case Study Recognized by NADO

CentralinaRC — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 17:55:17 +0000

The National Association of Development Organization (NADO) highlighted Centralina’s work with the City of Statesville as part of its 2023 housing research report called “Solving the Housing Puzzle: EDDs as Regional Housing Changemakers.” This resource includes tools for economic development districts to help them map regional housing ecosystems, determine economic justifications for engaging in the sector and scenario planning examples to better understand regional housing challenges. The report, which outlines the critical housing work carried out by development organizations to meet various community needs across the country, includes best practice case studies like one by Centralina titled “Turning Voices into Action in the Centralina Region.”

In June 2023, Centralina partnered with the City of Statesville, the Statesville Housing Authority and their nonprofit affiliate, Iredell Statesville Community Enrichment Corporation, to host a housing symposium that explored and analyzed how the community can individually and collectively support a prosperous Statesville. This collaborative effort sourced quality input and engagement from various stakeholders, including community organizations, housing advocates, and local government officials. It also provided important networking and educational opportunities for residents, service providers and local employees and officials. You can learn more about the process behind planning this event and the success that came from it through this final report, as well as this previously written Centralina article.

The case study also highlights a housing preservation and innovation workshop conducted at one of Centralina’s Regional Managers meetings. This session focused on tangible ways managers can collaborate to promote and implement affordable housing rehabilitation and development in communities across the Centralina region. You can read more about this workshop through the case study and through this Centralina article.

Centralina plans to host more of these targeted community workshops and events to help local governments best understand how they can address housing needs and build thriving communities. If you’d like support in coordinating a similar event in your community, please reach out to Community Economic Development Director, Christina Danis, at cdanis@centralina.org.

The post Centralina’s Housing Case Study Recognized by NADO appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

Connecting the Matthews Community: A Collaborative Success Story

CentralinaRC — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:23:58 +0000

Centralina Community Economic Development team (CED) recently collaborated with the Town of Matthews on a sidewalk extension project near their popular downtown district. Allocated funding provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program allowed Centralina to work with the town to improve sidewalk infrastructure in order to provide a safe and accessible pathway for residents to access nearby local services.

The project focused on North Ames Street, a popular area in the town where residents and visitors can grab coffee at the local cafes, a bite to eat at a restaurant or a drink with friends at nearby bars and breweries. Though the area is frequented often, existing sidewalks were not connected to the street, making it difficult for people to go out and about in this area safely and easily. Town officials determined that sidewalk space was essential in this area to ensure public safety and help support the local economy. North Ames Street is located in a HUD-qualified low-moderate income census track, which means it meets the main CDBG program criteria for funding eligibility towards program-specific projects through the CDBG entitlement program. Centralina’s CED team was called in to help implement funding for the project and provide support through the construction process.

This multi-phase project included the design, acquisition and construction of approximately 450 linear feet of sidewalk and associated curbing and planting strips to provide adequate separation from the roadway in a low-income neighborhood in the Town of Matthews. The addition of more street parking in the area as a part of this project provided further benefits, as residents and visitors are now able to stay in the area longer and help eliminate existing traffic caused by previously limited parking availability. The improved sidewalk infrastructure is also a step towards a pedestrian-friendly downtown that’s accessible for multiple modes of transportation, one of the key visions of the town’s strategic plan. Dana Stoogenke, the Senior Transportation Planner for the Town of Matthews, was extensively involved in this process and has expressed excitement with the CED team on how the project has helped kick-off other efforts for beautification and accessibility in the area, such as pedestrian lights, public benches and rotating public art pieces.

This project served as a valued example to the CED team and Centralina as whole on how collaboration in service delivery can help improve the lives of those in our member communities and boost their economic competitiveness through new opportunities. If your community is interested in working with the Centralina CED team on CDBG administration, downtown revitalization projects or other related services, please contact Christina Danis at cdanis@centralina.org.

North Ames Street before project groundbreaking

North Ames Street during the construction process

North Ames Street after sidewalk was completed

The post Connecting the Matthews Community: A Collaborative Success Story appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

Leading the Region for 55 Years: The History of Centralina

CentralinaRC — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:47:01 +0000

This year marks the 55^th anniversary of the founding of Centralina Regional Council, formerly known as Centralina Council of Governments. Over the last five and a half decades, our organization has helped support the growth and prosperity of our region through various projects and initiatives. In honor of this historic year, we’re looking back at how our organization has evolved to where it is today.

The Formation of Regional Councils

In 1968, Congress began working to pass the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, which called for closer cooperation between federal programs and state and local governments. The passage of that legislation precipitated the 1969 North Carolina legislation designed to create a system of multi-county regional planning districts to cover the entire state. By this time, the idea of Centralina was already in the works. In 1967, representatives from 28 local governments within the greater Charlotte region gathered to discuss the importance of working together to achieve regional prosperity and by 1968, the outlines of Central Piedmont Regional Council (later changed to Centralina Council of Governments in 1972) were solidified. Our charter was signed on September 18, 1968, and in early 1969, Centralina’s first executive director, Charles Turner, was appointed.

The First Twenty Years

“In the initial formation period of the organization, Centralina focused on issues of regional significance as identified by member governments. Former chairman of the board, Milton Short, gave an address in 1972 that stated Centralina would expand its focus to address housing, transportation, parks and recreation and the environment. We coordinated with the NC Energy Institute and the Western Piedmont Council of Governments to create the Resource Recovery Feasibility Study to map paths for governments to reduce their solid waste while also generating energy. Centralina’s portfolio evolved to include responsibilities delegated to it from federal and state agencies, including administering aging services and older adult programs. Highlights from this period include:

- Used the US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 701 program in 1970 to support planning assistance
- Established the regional aging ombudsman program
- Created the first Centralina Area Agency on Aging three-year plan for the Region F Aging Advisory Committee that worked to address nutrition, employment and other aging-related services
- Formed the Centralina Certified Development Corporation, offering small business loans and assistance
- Formed Centralina Workforce Development Board (WDB) under the name Centralina Private Industry Council, the first multi-county, regional board in the state

The 1990s

With the region growing rapidly by the 1990s, it was evident that local governments needed to focus on collaboration to coordinate on growth and economic development in response to the continued decline of the region’s textile industry. For example, in 1994, a steering committee convened to develop the 18-county Our Region Tomorrow strategic plan, which included a focus on recreation, infrastructure and the environment. A lesser-known aspect of Centralina’s history was our role in the emergence of the 911 system. When this emergency phone number was being rolled out, Centralina helped secure funds for EMS programs, offered training and education courses, helped set up information systems, coordinated risk management studies and facilitated cardiac equipment group purchasing for our region’s fire stations. Other highlights include:

- Assisted member governments with newly passed Americans with Disabilities Act compliance via training, facility inspections and suggested modifications of job descriptions and personnel practices
- Began offering code enforcement, building inspection and other technical assistance services to local governments
- Charted our region’s first JobLink Career Center (now NCWorks Career Center)
- Began testing and implementation of geographic information systems (GIS)
- Cohosted the I-485 forum to discuss the outer belt’s likely regional impacts and proposed development at its 36 interchanges

The Next Twenty Years

With the dawn of the twenty-first century, our region faced new challenges which required the organization to adapt and grow. Centralina saw new leadership with Executive Director Al Sharp stewarding the organization from 2002-2010. Centralina established what would become the Centralina Community Economic Development department and the human resources department. In 2010, Centralina brought on Jim Prosser as Executive Director who served until 2018. During this period, the CONNECT Our Future initiative kicked off with the goal of creating a framework for guiding and investing in the region’s growth, which still serves us today as the foundation for other regional collaboration projects such as CONNECT Beyond. Jim emphasized community engagement to ensure these plans reflected the people living throughout our region. He also saw that there was a strong desire for Centralina to play a larger role in helping communities coordinate their efforts to gain funding for growth.

A few other highlights from this time:

- In 2005, the elected officials of our region began developing the CONNECT Regional Vision that was adopted shortly afterwards in 2008
- Centralina Regional Planning completed the 14-county Greater Charlotte Regional Freight Mobility Plan
- Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition was officially designated in the US Department of Energy Clean Cities program
- Centralina established the Centralina Economic Development Commission, later changing to the Centralina Economic Development District
- Competitive Workforce Alliance formed to encourage regional cooperation among the Centralina, Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Gaston workforce development boards and the Charlotte Regional Partnership, later expanding to include South Carolina and four more workforce boards
- Centralina WDB launched the NC Manufacturing Institute in partnership with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce, Cabarrus Economic Development, Rowan Chamber of Commerce and RowanWorks

The Next Chapter: 2019 to Present

Geraldine Gardner became the next Executive Director of Centralina in January of 2019. After fifty years of service to the region, Centralina rebranded to Centralina Regional Council. The new name, logo and website was an effort to increase the visibility and positioning of the organization in the region. Another key change was the creation of the Government Affairs & Member Engagement (GAME) department to focus on intergovernmental affairs, member engagement and support services. Our technical assistance work also tripled during her short tenure. “Our experts and departments do excellent award-winning work, so my focus has really been on three main areas: external relationships within and outside of the region, our long-term fiscal health and expanding our internal capacity to support a growing organization,” states Geraldine.

In 2020, we launched a multi-department effort to aid local governments, businesses and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery, including American Rescue Plan Act implementation. In 2021 we launched the Regional Resilience Collaborative to address disaster recovery planning needs. That same year, we also adopted the 12-county CONNECT Beyond regional mobility plan. Centralina is currently implementing our first three-year strategic plan, adopted in 2022, that sets the foundation for improving our fiscal health and building our organizational capacity.

In Closing

Centralina has seen a multitude of changes over the last 55 years. Executive directors have changed, and our organization has shifted our focus and service offerings to meet the shifting needs of our region. As we’ve grown and adapted over the decades, Centralina has remained dedicated to serving its communities and working to build a stronger, united region that can face the challenges of today and tomorrow. We look forward to continuing to lead regional collaboration and spark local action for 55 more years.

Photo Captions

Former Chairman of the Board, Milton Short, giving an address in 1972 focused on Centralina expanding focus areas.
Former Centralina Board Chair, James G. Martin, who later became Governor of North Carolina in 1985, speaking at a Centralina meeting.
Attendees reviewing materials at the I-485 forum.
Centralina Community Economic Development Administrator, James Luster, conducting code enforcement inspection work in the region.
Anson County Commissioner & Centralina Board Secretary Jarvis Woodburn, former Wadesboro Mayor Bill Thacker and former Centralina Executive Director Al Sharp.
Former Executive Director, Jim Prosser, talking with current Executive Director, Geraldine Gardner at Centralina’s 50th Anniversary Celebration & Region of Excellence Awards.

The post Leading the Region for 55 Years: The History of Centralina appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.

Centralina EDD Supports Gaston College Grant Application Resulting in $1.1 Million Award

CentralinaRC — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:45:58 +0000

Gaston College has been awarded a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) to further solidify its presence as a leader in textile innovation and technology advancement. The purpose of the grant is to leverage assets and increase the capabilities of the Fiber Innovation Center (FIC) located on the Kimbrell Campus in Belmont, N.C.

The FIC is in the final stages of construction and will offer a state-of-the-art facility to develop and test fibers for industries producing advanced materials and textiles. This substantial EDA investment will support the purchase of cutting-edge equipment for the FIC to help industries innovate as they develop and process advanced fibers and textiles. This strategic investment aligns with the Centralina Economic Development District’s (EDD) Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) by supporting the development of a regional network of innovation hubs that house advanced manufacturing research, testing, prototype fabrication and workforce development programming.

In addition, the EDA grant will reinforce the historical ties this region has maintained within the textile industry by helping to grow the workforce with individuals possessing advanced technology and automation skills. By reinforcing the talent pipeline, this project is expected to create and retain 160 jobs in the Gaston College community.

The Centralina EDD, an integral part of Centralina Regional Council, played a critical role in fostering relations with the EDA and provided support and resources throughout the grant application process. This accomplishment underscores the Centralina EDD’s broader mission to serve as a catalyst for regional growth and prosperity. By collaborating with public stakeholders on regional strategies to help diversify the economy with different types of investment, generate good jobs and spur economic growth.

The post Centralina EDD Supports Gaston College Grant Application Resulting in $1.1 Million Award appeared first on Centralina Regional Council.